Career cushioning: what it is and is it something you should be doing?

Like certain species of sharks, who constantly swim through the ocean so fresh water passes through their gills, a successful business professional must keep seeking out new career opportunities and create backup plans for worst-case scenarios. One such backup plan, often called “career cushioning,” is used by canny professionals to identify alternative careers and quickly get re-hired if their current company lays them off. To learn more about the meaning of career cushioning and whether you should do it yourself, keep on reading!

This article will take a look at the following career cushioning topics and methods:

• What career cushioning is

• Career cushioning ethics and standards

• Career cushioning by searching for jobs

• Career cushioning by mastering new skills

• Career cushioning by networking

What career cushioning is, and what it’s meant to accomplish

The concept  of “career cushioning” was first defined to describe the precautions professionals take if they worry they might be fired or laid off from their current job in the near-future. These business professionals engage in “career cushioning” so they won’t spend a long period of time unemployed.

The ideal outcome of career cushioning is landing a new, better job the moment you leave your old one behind. The second-best outcome is a swift and smooth job search where you locate a best-fit opening and breeze through the application process.

When you should (or shouldn’t) career cushion

There are many reasons why you might be interested in career cushioning. Perhaps you’re on the outs with their boss or supervisor.  Maybe the business you work for might be on the brink of going under due to mismanagement or vanishing customers. Or maybe the economy is going through a recession that’s putting everyone’s jobs at risk. Naturally, professionals are less likely to engage in career cushioning if they love their current job and company.

There’s debate in some circles over whether career cushioning is an ethical practice or not: some feel that career cushioning while employed is “setting yourself up to fail” and will lead to you neglecting the job you do have. Others argue that career cushioning is a sensible precaution in troubled times and that employees shouldn’t cling to their current companies at the expense of their own well-being.

Career cushioning method #1: routine job searches and applications

The most straightforward career cushioning method is simply searching for and applying to new jobs while still working at your current position. As a general rule, most professionals can apply to 1-3 job openings every weekday of the week without adversely affecting productivity at their job. If they do get let go from their job or demoted to a part-time position, they can improve their chances of getting multiple job offers by applying to 3-5 openings every weekday.

Another key part of job searching while still employed is regularly updating your promotional documentation - your resume, your boilerplate cover letter, your profiles on LinkedIn, etc. Make sure all these materials are clear, easy to read, and reflect your current range of experience, skills, and professional accomplishments.

Career cushioning method #2: learning and mastering skills your target career will need

If there’s a dream job that you think would be more fun or pay better than your current job, review some relevant online job postings to see if you meet the requirements listed in their descriptions. If there are certain required skills, licenses, or certifications you currently lack, search for ways to acquire them.

This specific career cushioning method works best if you already have impressive time management skills or have open time slots during your work week - a few hours here and there to buckle down and learn new key skills. You can try to sign up for online/local courses, workshops, seminars or boot camps to learn these new work skills (if they offer official certificates to participants, so much the better). 

If these learning events have an attendance fee or don’t fit your schedule, self study can be a better alternative if you have the self-motivation to set and achieve learning goals for yourself.

Career cushioning method #3: routinely cultivating and expanding your network

Even if  you don’t have the time or energy to seek out new job opportunities while working at your current job, networking is an activity you should always be pursuing. If you’re interested in career cushioning, you have double the reason to engage in networking, an activity that can greatly improve your chances of being noticed by  companies looking for professionals like you.

Key takeaways

1. Career cushioning is an assortment of methods that business professionals use to prepare for potential layoffs and swiftly get re-employed as soon as possible.

2. Career cushioning is a prudent strategy if you’re worried about your job security or have reason to suspect your company will downsize or collapse in the near future.

3. You can career cushion while working at your current job by researching and applying to new openings, expanding your professional network, or adding new skills to  your repertoire.